Argentina

Argentina – Buenos Aires bill proposes session limits and facial recognition for online betting

By James Marrison - 28 July 2026

Buenos Aires Province deputy Mayra Mendoza has introduced legislation that would require licensed online betting operators to implement mandatory session limits, biometric identity verification and additional responsible gambling measures.

The bill would apply to all online betting platforms authorised by the Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos (IPLyC). Under the proposal, operators would be required to automatically end a player’s session after 60 minutes of continuous play and impose a mandatory one-hour cooling-off period before the account could be accessed again. Players would also be limited to three logins within a 24-hour period, after which access would be suspended until the following day.

The legislation would introduce further player protection requirements by obliging operators to display the duration of each gaming session and the total amount wagered throughout play. Platforms would also have to issue responsible gambling alerts where player activity suggests harmful gambling behaviour.

A key provision of the bill is the introduction of real-time facial recognition for identity verification. Players would be required to complete biometric checks when logging into their accounts, making deposits or withdrawals, and placing wagers above a threshold to be established in secondary regulations.

In the explanatory memorandum accompanying the bill, Mendoza argues that stronger identity verification would help prevent account misuse and reduce underage access to licensed gambling platforms.

Operators that fail to comply with the proposed requirements could face a range of sanctions, including financial penalties, temporary licence suspension or the revocation of their authorisation to operate in Buenos Aires Province.

The provincial executive would designate the enforcement authority responsible for issuing the technical rules needed to implement the legislation and would provide operators with up to 90 days to comply.

The proposal would also establish a permanent monitoring group within the provincial legislature, bringing together members of the Committee on Gambling, Lottery and Prevention of Gambling Addiction alongside civil society organisations and technical experts to review implementation of the law and recommend future regulatory changes as technology evolves.

The bill is expected to be considered by the Committee on Gambling, Lottery and Prevention of Gambling Addiction, which the Buenos Aires Chamber of Deputies established earlier this year as a dedicated forum for gambling legislation. The committee was created to streamline consideration of proposals covering online betting regulation, consumer protection and gambling-related harm. Mendoza’s proposal is among the first comprehensive regulatory measures to be referred to the new body.